Modi, Oli speak first time after Nepal map controversy but border issue doesn’t come up

NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi spoke to his Nepal counterpart K P Oli Saturday for the first time since the map controversy erupted earlier this year. Indian government sources described the conversation, at the behest of Oli, as essentially a courtesy call meant to convey his greetings to India on Independence Day, adding that cooperation on Covid-19 was the only issue discussed in detail during the talks that lasted for over 10 minutes.
Oli also congratulated India for its recent election as a non-permanent member of the UN security council. The border issue didn't come up in the meeting.
“The leaders expressed mutual solidarity in the context of the efforts being made to minimise the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in both countries. Prime Minister offered India’s continued support to Nepal in this regard,” said the government in a statement. “Prime Minister thanked the Prime Minister of Nepal for his telephone call and recalled the civilisational and cultural links that India and Nepal share,” it added.
The two leaders had last spoken on April 10. “The two PMs agreed to continue discussions on bilateral matters in the future,” said the Nepal foreign ministry, adding that Nepal looked forward to “meaningful” bilateral cooperation with India.
Despite its reservations over Nepal’s move to issue a new map showing Indian territory in Uttarakhand as its own, India has been keen to carry forward bilateral cooperation in other areas with Nepal. Indian ambassador V M Kwatra will meet Nepal foreign secretary S D Bairagi on Monday to review progress in development and economic projects in Nepal, as the government had announced earlier, in keeping with the 2016 oversight mechanism.
India is still reluctant though to give in to Nepal's demand for a dialogue on the border issue. Nepal has so far formally asked for a dialogue on the Kalapani border dispute at least four times since November 2019 when India issued its new political map.